DIRS.INFO The most relevant business & tech news

☆ George Santos Faces House Expulsion Vote After a Year of Mounting Allegations
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Katy Stech Ferek | Jimmy Vielkind | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

Rep. George Santos (R., N.Y.) delivered a speech this week in which he said it would be improper for lawmakers to vote to expel him before the legal process fully plays out. Photo: elizabeth frantz/ReutersWASHINGTON—The House is set to vote Friday on whether to expel embattled Rep. George Santos over allegations the New York Republican stole money from his own campaign and committed other misdeeds, in what would be only the third expulsion from the chamber since the Civil War. A two-thirds House supermajority is required to remove a member, meaning that 290 votes would be needed to oust Santos if all 435 House members vote. Most Democrats are expected to back expulsion, leaving Santos’s hopes in the hands of his GOP colleagues. While many Republicans support the move to remove Santos, some—including Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.

Persons: George Santos, elizabeth frantz, Santos, Santos’s, Mike Johnson, — Organizations: Reuters WASHINGTON, New York Republican, GOP Locations: N.Y

☆ George Santos Expelled From Congress in Tense House Vote
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Katy Stech Ferek | Jimmy Vielkind | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Rep. George Santos (R., N.Y.) delivered a speech this week in which he said it would be improper for lawmakers to vote to expel him before the legal process fully plays out. Photo: elizabeth frantz/ReutersWASHINGTON—The House voted Friday to expel embattled Rep. George Santos over allegations the New York Republican stole money from his own campaign and committed other misdeeds, in only the third expulsion from the chamber since the Civil War. The vote was 311 to 114, just slightly more than the two-thirds House supermajority required to remove a member. While Democrats and many Republicans supported the move to remove Santos, some—including Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La. )— had expressed reservations about expelling him before his criminal case had been resolved.

Persons: George Santos, elizabeth frantz, Santos, Mike Johnson, — Organizations: Reuters WASHINGTON, New York Republican, Republicans Locations: N.Y

☆ George Santos Expelled From Congress in Historic House Vote
▼ + stars: | 2023-12-01 | by ( Katy Stech Ferek | Jimmy Vielkind | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

A majority of House members voted Friday to expel George Santos (R., N.Y.) from the House of Representatives. Photo: Al Drago/Bloomberg NewsWASHINGTON—The House voted Friday to expel embattled Rep. George Santos over allegations the New York Republican stole money from his own campaign and committed other misdeeds, in only the sixth expulsion from the chamber and the first of a member who wasn’t a convicted felon or a member of the Confederacy. Lawmakers voted 311 to 114 to remove him, above the two-thirds House supermajority required by the Constitution. While almost all Democrats and many Republicans supported the move to expel Santos, more than half of GOP lawmakers—including Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) and other members of party leadership—said he shouldn’t be expelled before his criminal case had been resolved as it would set a bad precedent.

Persons: George Santos, Al Drago, wasn’t, Santos, Mike Johnson, —, shouldn’t Organizations: Bloomberg News WASHINGTON, New York Republican, Confederacy, Republicans Locations: N.Y

☆ George Santos Says He Won’t Resign Ahead of Expulsion Vote Thursday
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Paul Kiernan | Katy Stech Ferek | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Rep. George Santos has been under scrutiny since late 2022, shortly after he was elected to office. Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Getty ImagesWASHINGTON—Embattled Rep. George Santos (R., N.Y.) told colleagues that he wouldn’t resign from Congress, in remarks ahead of an expected vote Thursday to expel the lawmaker over alleged theft and other wrongdoing related to his congressional campaigns. Support for removing Santos from office has grown in recent weeks, and colleagues set in motion two fresh attempts on Tuesday, even as the Republican Party leadership hasn’t endorsed the effort. In a speech on the House floor, Santos said that it would be improper for lawmakers to vote to expel him before the legal process fully plays out, arguing that removing him from office would set a dangerous precedent.

Persons: George Santos, Kevin Dietsch, wouldn’t, Santos, hasn’t Organizations: Getty, WASHINGTON, Republican Party Locations: N.Y

☆ George Santos Tells Colleagues: ‘I Will Not Be Resigning’
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-29 | by ( Paul Kiernan | Katy Stech Ferek | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Rep. George Santos has been under scrutiny since late 2022, shortly after he was elected to office. Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Getty ImagesWASHINGTON—Embattled Rep. George Santos (R., N.Y.) told colleagues Tuesday that he wouldn’t resign from Congress, in remarks ahead of an expected vote this week to expel the lawmaker over alleged theft and other wrongdoing related to his congressional campaigns. Support for removing Santos from office has grown in recent weeks, and colleagues set in motion two fresh attempts on Tuesday. In a speech on the House floor, Santos said that it would be improper for lawmakers to vote to expel him before the legal process fully plays out, arguing that removing him from office would set a dangerous precedent.

Persons: George Santos, Kevin Dietsch, wouldn’t, Santos Organizations: Getty, WASHINGTON Locations: N.Y

WASHINGTON— Mike Johnson ’s grace period is likely over with House Republicans, with griping and obstructionism firing up again from different wings of his party, undercutting his efforts to unify the GOP heading into a rebooted budget fight. After winning the gavel in late October, the Louisiana Republican averted a crisis this past week and passed a short-term spending bill that funds the government through early next year. But to do so, the new speaker had to rely on large numbers of Democrats, with 95 members of his own party voting against that deal because they said it did too little to cut federal spending or secure the border.

Persons: WASHINGTON, Mike Johnson ’ Organizations: House Republicans, Louisiana Republican Locations: Louisiana

☆ George Santos Faces Expulsion Vote Right After Thanksgiving
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-18 | by ( Katy Stech Ferek | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Rep. George Santos (R., N.Y.) arriving for a vote at the U.S. Capitol in Washington on Wednesday. Photo: Al Drago/Bloomberg NewsWASHINGTON—The Republican head of the House Ethics Committee filed a resolution to expel Rep. George Santos (R., N.Y.) on Friday, putting a possible vote within weeks a day after the panel released a scathing report finding the lawmaker stole money from his campaign. The move by Chairman Michael Guest (R., Miss.) sets up expulsion as one of the first issues House lawmakers could address after returning from Thanksgiving break on Nov. 28. Lawmakers have called for him to resign but a critical mass now appeared ready to eject him if he didn’t leave on his own accord.

Persons: George Santos, Al Drago, Michael Guest Organizations: U.S, Capitol, Bloomberg News WASHINGTON, Republican, Lawmakers Locations: N.Y, Washington

☆ George Santos ‘Blatantly Stole’ From Own Campaign, House Ethics Committee Finds
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Katy Stech Ferek | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Rep. George Santos recently pleaded not guilty to 13 felony charges. WSJ’s Ashby Jones breaks down those charges and what’s next for the New York Republican. Photo Illustration: Ryan TrefesWASHINGTON—The House Ethics Committee said Thursday that it found substantial evidence that Rep. George Santos (R., N.Y.) stole money from his campaign and used his connections to high value donors to get additional money through questionable business dealings but stopped short of recommending that lawmakers boot him from Congress. “Representative Santos sought to fraudulently exploit every aspect of his House candidacy for his own personal financial profit” and “blatantly stole from his campaign,” the report said. The committee said Santos’s conduct “warrants public condemnation, is beneath the dignity of the office, and has brought severe discredit upon the House.”

Persons: George Santos, WSJ’s Ashby Jones, what’s, Ryan Trefes WASHINGTON, Santos, “, ” Organizations: New York Republican, “ Locations: N.Y

☆ George Santos Faces Growing Calls for Expulsion After Damning Ethics Report
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-16 | by ( Katy Stech Ferek | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The House Ethics Committee said it found evidence that New York Rep. George Santos “blatantly” stole money from his campaign, prompting the lawmaker to say he won’t seek re-election in 2024. Photo: Elizabeth Frantz/ReutersWASHINGTON—The House Ethics Committee said Thursday that it found substantial evidence that Rep. George Santos (R., N.Y.) stole money from his campaign and committed other misdeeds, igniting new calls for his immediate expulsion by colleagues and prompting the embattled lawmaker to say he won’t run for re-election. “Representative Santos sought to fraudulently exploit every aspect of his House candidacy for his own personal financial profit” and “blatantly stole from his campaign,” the committee’s report said. The committee said Santos’s conduct “warrants public condemnation, is beneath the dignity of the office, and has brought severe discredit upon the House.”

Persons: George Santos “, Elizabeth Frantz, George Santos, Santos, “, ” Organizations: New York Rep, Reuters WASHINGTON, “ Locations: N.Y

☆ Speaker Mike Johnson Faces Big Test in Averting Government Shutdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Katy Stech Ferek | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

The U.S. government narrowly averted shutting down—again. WSJ explains why the growing divide in Congress is leading to threats of a shutdown nearly every year. Photo illustration: Madeline MarshallWASHINGTON—House Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) is headed into a major test on Tuesday with a possible vote on his proposal temporarily extending government funding through early next year, as lawmakers moved to get legislation to President Biden’s desk ahead of a looming government shutdown this weekend. Lawmakers missed their initial annual deadline of Sept. 30 to finish that work, prompting the need for an initial extension to Nov. 17 and now another one.

Persons: —, Madeline Marshall, Mike Johnson, Biden’s Organizations: —, Defense Department, Lawmakers

☆ New GOP Speaker Needs Democrats’ Help to Avert Shutdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Katy Stech Ferek | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

The U.S. government narrowly averted shutting down—again. WSJ explains why the growing divide in Congress is leading to threats of a shutdown nearly every year. Photo illustration: Madeline MarshallWASHINGTON—House lawmakers were guardedly optimistic that they would pass a Republican proposal to temporarily extend government funding and avoid a partial shutdown this weekend, with Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) counting on a wave of Democratic votes to offset GOP defections. One wrinkle: The measure will require a two-thirds supermajority for approval, after Johnson was forced to use a special procedure to bypass internal GOP opposition.

Persons: —, Madeline Marshall, Mike Johnson, Johnson Organizations: —, Republican Locations: Ukraine

☆ New Speaker Confident of Bipartisan Support in Plan to Avert Shutdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Katy Stech Ferek | ) www.wsj.com time to read: +1 min

WSJ explains why the growing divide in Congress is leading to threats of a shutdown nearly every year. Photo illustration: Madeline MarshallWASHINGTON—House Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) expressed confidence that he would get broad bipartisan support Tuesday for his proposal to temporarily extend government funding and avoid a partial shutdown this weekend. Johnson’s two-step plan is scheduled for a vote later Tuesday that will require a two-thirds supermajority for approval. Lawmakers missed their initial annual deadline of Sept. 30 to finish that work, prompting the need for an initial extension to Nov. 17 and now another one.

Persons: —, Madeline Marshall, Mike Johnson Organizations: —, Defense Department, Lawmakers

☆ House Passes GOP Plan to Avert Government Shutdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-14 | by ( Katy Stech Ferek | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

House lawmakers on Tuesday approved a Republican plan that would continue funding federal agencies until early next year. House Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) Photo: Jim Lo Scalzo/EPA-EFE/ShutterstockWASHINGTON—House lawmakers approved a Republican plan Tuesday that would continue funding federal agencies until early next year, a critical step in averting a partial government shutdown, with House Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) The 336-95 vote exceeded a two-thirds threshold required under a special procedure employed by Johnson to sidestep internal GOP disagreements. The measure still requires approval from the Democratic-controlled Senate, where the leaders of both parties have signaled support but timing was uncertain.

Persons: Mike Johnson, Jim Lo Scalzo, Johnson Organizations: Republican, Democratic, WASHINGTON —

☆ House Speaker Mike Johnson Unveils Plan to Ward Off Government Shutdown
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-11 | by ( Katy Stech Ferek | Siobhan Hughes | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

The plan was presented a week before federal agencies risk shutting down when current funding runs out. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty ImagesWASHINGTON—House Speaker Mike Johnson (R., La.) unveiled a two-step short-term spending proposal that would keep money flowing to federal agencies into early next year, in a bid to stave off a partial government shutdown later this week. Johnson presented the plan on Saturday, a week before federal agencies risk shutting down once current funding runs out. The measure wouldn’t impose spending cuts, and it also wouldn’t implement tougher anti-immigration rules at the U.S.-Mexico border, which some Republicans had said was critical to get their support.

Persons: Drew Angerer, Mike Johnson, Johnson Organizations: Getty, WASHINGTON — Locations: U.S, Mexico

☆ Democratic Sen. Joe Manchin Won’t Run for Re-Election in West Virginia
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-09 | by ( Katy Stech Ferek | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Sen. Joe Manchin said his decision was one of the toughest he has had to make in his lifetime. Photo: Anna Moneymaker/Getty ImagesWASHINGTON—Sen. Joe Manchin (D., W.Va.) said Thursday that he won’t run for another term in the U.S. Senate, as he faced a tough re-election bid in a state that has turned more conservative during his tenure. The decision is expected to hurt Democrats’ effort to hold on to the Senate, which they currently control 51-49. West Virginia is seen as one of Republicans’ top pickup opportunities, along with Montana and Ohio, and Manchin was seen as the only Democrat who had a shot at holding on to the seat.

Persons: Sen, Joe Manchin, Anna Moneymaker, WASHINGTON — Sen, Manchin Organizations: Getty, WASHINGTON, U.S . Senate, Senate, Republicans ’, Democrat Locations: U.S, West Virginia, Montana and Ohio

WASHINGTON—A year away from the 2024 election, Democrats see trends pulling in different directions: an electorate that appears motivated to vote in their favor, particularly on abortion, but is also deeply skeptical of handing another term to the party’s standard-bearer—President Biden . The 80-year-old incumbent faced flashing red warning lights this week in the form of fresh polling showing voters’ concerns about his age and weak numbers in swing-state matchups against former President Donald Trump. But Biden’s team and allies see no need for a course correction, pointing to the power of abortion politics and the value of having Trump as a foil.

Persons: WASHINGTON, —, Biden, Donald Trump Organizations: Trump

☆ House Censures Democratic Rep. Rashida Tlaib Over Israel Remarks
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-07 | by ( Katy Stech Ferek | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Rep. Rashida Tlaib. Photo: Celal Gunes/Anadolu/Getty ImagesWASHINGTON—House lawmakers voted Tuesday to censure Rep. Rashida Tlaib (D., Mich.), the only Palestinian-American in Congress, over comments she made about Israel that were widely criticized by colleagues. The censure resolution, which passed 234-188, centers on statements that Tlaib made after Hamas attacked Israel and Israel retaliated with strikes on Gaza. Critics said Tlaib’s “from the river to the sea” pro-Palestinian comments parroted language of anti-Israel groups, and she also repeated the now-discredited allegation of Israel’s culpability for a strike at a Gaza hospital. Opponents of the measure said Tlaib’s comments fell well short of censure, with allies saying lawmakers were ganging up on her unfairly.

Persons: Rashida Tlaib, Celal, Tlaib, Israel, Critics, Tlaib’s “ Organizations: Getty, WASHINGTON —, American Locations: Anadolu, Mich, Israel, Gaza

☆ George Santos Faces Expulsion Vote in House
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Katy Stech Ferek | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Rep. George Santos (R., N.Y.) has called an effort to expel him from Congress disheartening. Photo: Tom Williams/Zuma PressWASHINGTON—House lawmakers are set to vote as soon as Wednesday night on whether to expel Rep. George Santos (R., N.Y.), who made a series of bold fabrications in running for office and faces federal fraud charges related to his 2022 campaign. Two-thirds of House lawmakers would need to vote in favor of expelling Santos to remove him, and the effort was seen as facing an uphill battle, with top Republicans not signaling their support. Expelling Santos would cut into the Republicans’ narrow 221-212 majority, and some lawmakers have said any such move should wait until after his criminal case is resolved or the House Ethics Committee has completed its probe.

Persons: George Santos, Tom Williams, Santos Organizations: Zuma Press WASHINGTON —, Republicans Locations: N.Y

☆ George Santos Avoids Expulsion in House Vote
▼ + stars: | 2023-11-01 | by ( Katy Stech Ferek | ) www.wsj.com time to read: 1 min

Rep. George Santos has said that ejecting him from Congress now would set a dangerous precedent. Photo: Drew Angerer/Getty ImagesWASHINGTON—House lawmakers rejected an effort to expel Rep. George Santos (R., N.Y.), who made a series of bold fabrications in running for office and faces federal fraud charges related to his 2022 campaign. The vote was 179 in favor of expulsion to 213 against, well short of the two-thirds threshold needed to remove a lawmaker from office. Nineteen lawmakers voted present and nearly two dozen more were absent.

Persons: George Santos, Drew Angerer Organizations: Getty, WASHINGTON — Locations: N.Y

Sen. Tommy Tuberville began blocking promotions for hundreds of military leaders earlier this year. Photo: Kevin Dietsch/Getty ImagesWASHINGTON—Sen. Tommy Tuberville , who has held up hundreds of military promotions, is asking his colleagues to support an effort to quickly confirm Lt. Gen. Christopher Mahoney as second-in-command to the U.S. Marine Corps after its top officer collapsed during a jog on Sunday and was taken to the hospital, according to a senior Senate aide. Mahoney was nominated by the White House in July but had yet to be confirmed by the Senate along with hundreds of other senior officers’ promotions who remain frozen by Tuberville, an Alabama Republican, in a political battle over the Pentagon’s abortion policy.

Persons: Sen, Tommy Tuberville, Kevin Dietsch, WASHINGTON — Sen, Christopher Mahoney, Mahoney Organizations: Getty, WASHINGTON, U.S . Marine Corps, White, Alabama Republican Locations: Alabama

Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio was removed as GOP nominee for speaker in a secret ballot after he lost his third bid. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the previous speaker, was ousted three weeks ago. Mike Johnson of Louisiana was chosen as House Republicans’ latest nominee for speaker in a conference vote late Tuesday, hours after the party elected and then derailed a different member in its search for the elusive candidate who can actually win the gavel. At the end of a marathon day of internal debate and votes, Johnson, the vice chairman of the House Republican conference, bested Byron Donalds of Florida, a Trump ally popular with many of the House’s most conservative lawmakers. In a shift, lawmakers left the Capitol on Tuesday night optimistic that Johnson could unite them after a series of failed attempts to find a successor to former House Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R., Calif.), who was ousted three weeks ago.

Persons: Jim Jordan of, Kevin McCarthy, Valerie Plesch, Mike Johnson of, Republicans ’, Johnson, Byron Donalds of Organizations: Bloomberg WASHINGTON —, Republicans, House Republican, Trump, Capitol Locations: Jim Jordan of Ohio, Mike Johnson of Louisiana, Byron Donalds of Florida, Calif

WASHINGTON—In choosing Mike Johnson as the new House Speaker, Republicans have cast their lot with a little-known congressman from Louisiana who has made his name pushing conservative positions on cultural issues and who played a key role in unsuccessful legal efforts to overturn the results of the 2020 election. After 22 days without a speaker, House Republicans came together to elect Johnson for the post Wednesday after three other better-known nominees failed to unite the fractured conference.

Persons: WASHINGTON —, Mike Johnson, Johnson Organizations: Republicans Locations: WASHINGTON, Louisiana

House Republicans elected Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana as speaker of the House on Wednesday, more than three weeks after Kevin McCarthy was ousted. Photo: Chip Somodevilla/Getty ImagesWASHINGTON—The House elected GOP Rep. Mike Johnson of Louisiana as speaker, elevating a staunch conservative to the top post after three weeks of Republican infighting doomed other candidates aiming to succeed ousted leader Kevin McCarthy. The choice of Johnson, a close ally of former President Donald Trump, came after the party cycled through a series of hopefuls, prompting some members to wonder whether any colleague could thread the needle in the deeply divided conference. With a speaker now in place, lawmakers can finally get back to work, with many eager to pass aid for Israel and address a looming government-funding deadline next month.

Persons: Mike Johnson of, Kevin McCarthy, Chip Somodevilla, Johnson, Donald Trump Organizations: Republicans, Getty, WASHINGTON, The Locations: Mike Johnson of Louisiana, Israel

Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio was removed as GOP nominee for speaker in a secret ballot after he lost his third bid on Friday. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the previous speaker, was ousted three weeks ago. Photo: Valerie Plesch/BloombergWASHINGTON—Republicans sought to end a three-week-old political crisis by picking a House speaker nominee who could finally garner a majority of the chamber, with plans to hold a party vote Tuesday morning and hopes to move to the floor as soon as later in the day. Weary from weeks of fighting and embarrassing setbacks, House Republicans will meet behind closed doors to choose from among eight Republicans currently running to serve as House speaker. Lawmakers are eager to get back to work, with many wanting to pass aid to Israel and address a looming government funding deadline, neither of which can be done until a new leader is approved by the full chamber.

Persons: Jim Jordan of, Kevin McCarthy, Valerie Plesch Organizations: Bloomberg WASHINGTON —, Republicans Locations: Jim Jordan of Ohio, Israel

Rep. Jim Jordan of Ohio was removed as GOP nominee for speaker in a secret ballot after he lost his third bid on Friday. Rep. Kevin McCarthy, the previous speaker, was ousted nearly three weeks ago. Photo: Valerie Plesch/BloombergWASHINGTON—House Majority Whip Tom Emmer (R., Minn.) dropped his bid to serve as House speaker just hours after he was narrowly elected as the Republican nominee, as stiff resistance from hard-right conservatives reinforced by former President Donald Trump sank the party’s latest pick to run the chamber. His withdrawal put the Republicans back to square one for the fourth time, three weeks after hard-liners engineered the ouster of former Speaker Kevin McCarthy (R., Calif.). Republicans regrouped again late Tuesday to map out their next steps, assembling another slate of candidates and holding a fresh forum in the evening.

Persons: Jim Jordan of, Kevin McCarthy, Valerie Plesch, Tom Emmer, Donald Trump Organizations: Bloomberg WASHINGTON —, Republican, Republicans Locations: Jim Jordan of Ohio, Minn, Calif

Search resuls for: "Ferek"

25 mentions found